Retractable neck pillow

ABSTRACT

A retractable neck pillow has multiple retractable elements sequentially connected along a retracting direction. Each retractable element is made of a flexible material, is tubular, and is capable of retracting along the retracting direction. Two ends of the retractable neck pillow can be pushed by a user to shorten for storage. The retractable neck pillow is convenient in usage and is easy to be stored.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a neck pillow, and more particularly to a retractable neck pillow that can be stretched to surround a user's neck for neck support and can be retracted for storage.

2. Description of Related Art

In a traditional neck pillow, a stuffing is filled therein for supporting a user's neck. However, the stuffing inside the traditional pillow is hard to be compressed to reduce the space occupied by the traditional neck pillow. Therefore, the traditional neck pillow is inconvenient for storage.

In order to solve the problem that the traditional neck pillow is inconvenient for storage, a conventional neck pillow being inflatable is provided. The conventional inflatable neck pillow has to be inflated before supporting a user's neck. For storage, air inside the conventional inflatable neck pillow is discharged to decrease the space occupied by the conventional inflatable neck pillow.

However, the conventional inflatable neck pillow has to be inflated and deflated and is still inconvenient for use.

To overcome the shortcomings of the conventional inflatable neck pillow, the present invention provides a retractable neck pillow to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a neck pillow, for supporting a user's neck, which is retractable and facilitates ease in storage.

The retractable neck pillow comprises multiple retractable elements sequentially connected along a retracting direction. Each retractable element is made of a flexible material, is tubular, and is capable of retracting along the retracting direction. Two ends of the retractable neck pillow can be pushed by a user to shorten for storage. The retractable neck pillow is convenient in usage and is easy to be stored.

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a first embodiment of a retractable neck pillow in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the retractable neck pillow in FIG. 1 , showing multiple first retractable elements are stretched;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the first retractable element in FIG. 2 , showing the first retractable element is stretched;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the retractable neck pillow in FIG. 1 , showing the multiple first retractable elements are compressed;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the first retractable element in FIG. 4 , showing the first retractable element is compressed;

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of a second embodiment of the retractable neck pillow in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the retractable neck pillow in FIG. 6, showing multiple second retractable elements are stretched;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the second retractable element in FIG. 7 , showing the second retractable element is stretched;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the retractable neck pillow in FIG. 6 , showing the multiple second retractable elements are compressed;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the second retractable element in FIG. 9 , showing the second retractable element is compressed;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of the retractable neck pillow in FIG. 1 , showing each supporting element is received in a respective groove;

FIG. 12 is another cross-sectional side view of the retractable pillow in FIG. 11 , showing the supporting element being O-shaped;

FIG. 13 is another cross-sectional side view of the retractable pillow in FIG. 11 , showing the supporting element being C-shaped;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the retractable neck pillow in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the retractable neck pillow in FIG. 14 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of a retractable neck pillow in accordance with the present invention has multiple first retractable elements and a retracting direction D1. Each of the first retractable elements 10 is made of a flexible material, is tubular, and is capable of retracting. The multiple first retractable elements 10 are sequentially connected along the retracting direction D1. In the first embodiment of the present invention, each first retractable element 10 is made of silicon.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 , each first retractable element 10 has a first supporting section 11, a folding section 12, and a second supporting section 13 sequentially connected. The first supporting section 11 is annular, has an outer diameter, and has a first section being rectangular. The second supporting section is annular, has an outer diameter, and has a second section being rectangular. The folding section 12 is annular, has an outer diameter, and has a third section being rectangular. Wherein, the outer diameter of the first supporting section 11 is larger than the outer diameter of the folding section 12, and the outer diameter of the folding section 12 is larger than the outer diameter of the second supporting section 13.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 , when each first retractable element 10 retracts, the first supporting section 11, the folding section 12, and the second supporting section 13 fold in a direction perpendicular to the retracting direction, and the folding section 12 is disposed between the first supporting section 11 and the second supporting section 13.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 , since the first supporting section 11, the folding section 12, and the second supporting section 13 of each first retractable element 10 fold together, a length of the first retractable element 10 is reduced, and a length of the retractable neck pillow of the present invention is reduced accordingly. In the present invention, each first retractable element 10 is capable of retracting to reduce the space occupied by the retractable neck pillow of the present invention. Compared to the traditional neck pillow with the stuffing therein, the retractable neck pillow of the present invention has the advantage of easy storage. Compared to the conventional inflatable neck pillow, a user of the retractable neck pillow of the present invention can push two ends of the retractable neck pillow to shorten it for storage without inflating or discharging air and further promote the convenience of usage.

With reference to FIGS. 11 to 13 , in the first embodiment of the present invention, each first retractable element 10 can further have a groove 111. The groove 111 of each first retractable element 10 is annular and is formed in an interior surface of the first supporting section 11 of the first retractable element 10 for receiving a supporting element 30. The supporting element 30 may be 0-shaped or C-shaped and can be made of composite materials with carbon fibers, glass fibers, or metal fibers to enhance the rigidity of each first retractable element 10. With reference to FIGS. 11 to 13 , the groove 111 of the first supporting section 11 of each first retractable element 10 is formed in the interior surface of the first supporting section 11. Practically, the groove 111 may be formed in an exterior surface of the first supporting section 11.

With reference to FIG. 6 , a second embodiment of the present invention has multiple second retractable elements 20 and the retracting direction D1. Each of the multiple second retractable elements 20 is also made of a flexible material, is tubular, and is capable of retracting. The multiple second retractable elements 20 are sequentially connected along the retracting direction D1. In the second embodiment, each second retractable element 20 is made of a plastic material.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 , each second retractable element 20 has a first supporting section 21, a bending section 22, and a second supporting section 23. Wherein, the first supporting section 21 and the second supporting section 23 of each second retractable element 20 are both annular and are yieldably connected to each other via the bending section 22 of the second retractable element 20. With reference to FIGS. 7 to 10 , when each second retractable element 20 retracts, the bending section 22 of the second retractable element 20 yields and makes the first supporting section 21 and the second supporting section 23 of the second retractable element 20 fold in the retracting direction D1. Therefore, a length of each second retractable element 20 is reduced, and a length of the second embodiment is reduced accordingly.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, the user of the present invention can push two ends of the retractable neck pillow, and the first supporting section 21 and the second supporting section 23 of each second retractable element 20 can be folded via the bending section 22 of the second retractable element 20 to shorten the length of the present invention. The second embodiment is also convenient in usage and is easy to be stored.

With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15 , a third embodiment of the present invention has the retracting direction D1, the multiple first retractable elements 10, and the multiple second retractable elements 20. Specifically, the third embodiment has three first retractable elements 10 and two second retractable elements 20. Each second retractable element 20 is disposed between two adjacent first retractable elements 10. Each first retractable element 10 has at least one groove 111. Each groove 111 receives one said supporting element 30 being annular.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A retractable neck pillow comprising: multiple retractable elements sequentially connected along a retracting direction; and each retractable element made of a flexible material, being tubular, and being capable of retracting along the retracting direction.
 2. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 1, wherein each retractable element has a first supporting section, a folding section, and a second supporting section being annular and sequentially connected to one another; and respective outer diameters of the first supporting section, the folding section, and the second supporting section of each retractable element gradually decrease; when each retractable element retracts, the first supporting section, the folding section, and the second supporting section of the retractable element fold in a direction perpendicular to the retracting direction, and the folding section is disposed between the first supporting section and the second supporting section.
 3. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 2, wherein each retractable element has at least one groove being annular; and at least one supporting element being annular and respectively received in the at least one groove.
 4. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one groove of each retractable element includes a groove formed in an interior surface of the first supporting section of the retractable element.
 5. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 1, wherein each retractable element has a first supporting section, a bending section, and a second supporting section being annular and sequentially connected to one another; the first supporting section and the second supporting section of each retractable element are yieldably connected to each other via the bending section; when each retractable element retracts, the first supporting section and the second supporting section fold in the retracting direction.
 6. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multiple retractable elements are distinguished into multiple first retractable elements and multiple second retractable elements.
 7. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 6, wherein each first retractable element has a first supporting section, a folding section, and a second supporting section being annular and sequentially connected to one another; and respective outer diameters of the first supporting section, the folding section, and the second supporting section of each first retractable element gradually decrease; each second retractable element has a first supporting section, a bending section, and a second supporting section being annular and sequentially connected to one another; the first supporting section and the second supporting section of each second retractable element are yieldably connected to each other via the bending section of the second retractable element; when each first retractable element retracts, the first supporting section, the folding section, and the second supporting section of the first retractable element fold in a direction perpendicular to the retracting direction, and the folding section is disposed between the first supporting section and the second supporting section; and when each second retractable element retracts, the first supporting section and the second supporting section of the second retractable element fold in the retracting direction.
 8. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 7, wherein each first retractable element has at least one groove being annular; and at least one supporting element being annular and respectively received in the at least one groove.
 9. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 8, wherein the multiple first retractable elements include three first retractable elements; the multiple second retractable elements include two second retractable elements; and each second retractable element is disposed between two adjacent first retractable elements.
 10. The retractable neck pillow as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one groove of each first retractable element includes a groove formed in an interior surface of the first supporting section of the first retractable element. 